The classification of micrometeorites

• Published in: Meteoritics & Planetary Science
• Main Authors: Genge, M. J., Engrand, C., Gounelle, M., Taylor, S.
• Other Authors: CSNSM AS, Centre de Spectrométrie Nucléaire et de Spectrométrie de Masse (CSNSM), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2008
• Subjects: Petrology; Classification; Micrometeorites; [PHYS.ASTR.EP]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Earth and Planetary Astrophysics [astro-ph.EP]; [SDU.ASTR.EP]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Earth and Planetary Astrophysics [astro-ph.EP]; Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://hal.in2p3.fr/in2p3-00855445; https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1945-5100.2008.TB00668.X

Due to their small size, the mineralogical and chemical properties of micrometeorites (MMs) are not representative of their parent bodies on the centimeter to meter scales that are used to define parent body groups through the petrological study of meteorites. Identifying which groups of MM are derived from the same type of parent body is problematic and requires particles to be rigorously grouped on the basis of mineralogical, textural, and chemical properties that reflect the fundamental genetic differences between meteorite parent bodies, albeit with minimal bias towards preconceived genetic models. Specifically, the interpretation of MMs requires a rigorous and meaningful classification scheme. At present the classification of MMs is, however, at best ambiguous. A unified petrological-chemical classification scheme is proposed in the current study and is based on observations of several thousand MMs collected from Antarctic ice.